Wood fired, grilled, or baked, Yeast Water pizza dough is a success! I'm continuing my…
New* Wild Yeast Water Pizza Dough
Want a homemade pizza dough on your schedule? Stir up this Wild Yeast Water pizza dough today, bake it tomorrow, the next day, or even days later!
What is Wild Yeast Water? It’s a magical, no-fuss alternative to sourdough starter — no-feed, no-discard, and stays alive for months. Here’s how to make your first jar of Wild Yeast Water. It takes about a week to ferment the first time. Each jarful makes 5 batches of pizza dough or 6-8 loaves of bread. When it’s almost used up, just 2-3 days to rebuild.
New* Wild Yeast Water Pizza Dough is a simplified version of my grilled pizza. In baking terms, this is a “straight dough,” meaning all the ingredients are mixed at once. The yeast water acts as part of the total liquid, similar to how it’s used in my KISS Overnight Wild Yeast Water Bread.
For the best bubbly crispy crust, bake in a super-heated oven on a pizza stone if you have one. I go for well-browned! If you’ve got an Ooni or another outdoor pizza oven—you’re lucky! And yes, I’d like to be your friend 🙂
Why bake this dough tomorrow or in a few days? To make it convenient! I’ve tested refrigerating the dough for a few hours, 72 hours, even 5 days. All methods proved equally good results and my tasters loved them. The dough balls also freeze beautifully; just thaw completely in the refrigerator then let come to room temperature before stretching and topping.
Why use Wild Yeast Water vs dry yeast? Wild Yeast Water builds a long-fermentation flavor that could be described as a slightly sweet/sour grain flavor, subtle yet complex. Sophisticated compared to quick-rise yeast raised dough, which is fine too, just a different flavor profile. Long fermentation makes a pizzeria-style crust I love: light and chewy with a crisp edge. Like one of my favorites from Toscana Brothers Italian Bakery in San Francisco. Catch a glimpse on my Instagram reel of their pizza dough makers trained by owner and world champion pizza maker Tony Gemignani.
Why bake pizza at home when there’s great pizzerias? For the fun! It’s a party meal, a simple homemade meal (with dough in the fridge!), and you can customize every pie with favorite spreads, toppings, cheeses. Plus, pizzas are great for using leftover nubs of this-and-that from meats and veg to cheeses.
I recommend making the no-cook chunky tomato sauce which I adapted from the cookbook Unites States of Pizza by Craig Priebe and Dianne Jacob. Recipe is included below and takes minutes to make.
So go ahead, stir up some Wild Yeast Water dough and bake your best homemade pizza!
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New* Wild Yeast Water Pizza Dough
Keep in mind, dough rise time varies by room temperature and strength of the yeast water. I find that freshly made dried cherry water can be much faster acting than date water refreshed a month ago. But both will work. There is also a vast difference in rise time between room temp of 62-64F vs 75-80F. That's why my Brod & Taylor folding proofer is always in use!
Ingredients
Straight Dough
- 500 grams (about 4 cups) all-purpose flour, bread flour, or '00'pizza flour I often use 100g of whole spelt or whole wheat for added flavor, as part of the 500g
- 240 grams (1 cup) water Can combine with the yeast water and heat to about 80F in microwave. Not over 90F to prevent killing yeast.
- 120 grams (1/2) cup Wild Yeast Water, shaken before measuring if water is more than 2 months old, it may slow the fermentation time to 18-20hrs
- 8 grams salt (Kosher salt is 1-3/4tsp; Table salt is about 1-1/4tsp)
- 1 tsp olive oil
No-Cook Chunky Tomato Sauce
- 1 can 14.5oz diced canned tomatoes, not drained I often use Kirkland brand
- 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tbsp. dried oregano, crushed or about 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 tsp. dried basil, crushed or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- salt taste then salt as desired. Canned tomatoes vary in salt level.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, water, Yeast Water, salt, and olive oil until the flour is completely moistened. See links below for mixing and shaping demos. Cover and let stand 20-30 minutes.
- Give the dough several stretches then shape into a ball.
- Cover with a lid or plastic wrap; let rise until double. I like to play with my dough so if I'm available 3-4 hours after the dough is mixed, I give it a few stretches and slap and folds. This helps develop the crumb but is not necessary. After 12-14 hours at about 70-ish degrees, the dough should be bubbly and light. The dough pictured here was a little slow for the first 10 hours because I left it on the counter, so it went into my Brod & Taylor Proofing box (link above) at 79F for a few hours. The bubbles may be small or big, just look for dough that's doubled and light. Cherry water tends to be the most active as in this photo.
- Using slightly damp hands or scraper, work around the edge of the bowl to shape the dough into a ball. Transfer to work surface and divide into four or six equal pieces. Can also divide into two for large pizza but I find the smaller sizes easier to handle and fun as personal pizzas. Shape each piece into a smooth ball by holding in hands and tucking edges under, then rolling in hands or on floured surface until the ball feels slightly taught and there are no seams. It should feel light and springy with a little tension on the surface.
- Place on a lightly floured tray and let rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes to relax before stretching into pizzas, OR, cover and refrigerate for up to three days. When ready to make pizzas, let refrigerated dough warm to room temperature (~70F) about 45 minutes, so it will shape easier.
- Preheat oven to 500F or 550F, or BBQ or pizza oven per manufacture's directions.On a floured surface press and spread dough balls to about 8-inches for 4 doughs, or 6 inches for 6 doughs, with slightly thicker edges. A rolling pin should not be needed. If the dough springs back, let it rest a couple minutes. Don't get too fussy; roundish or squarish is fine!
- Place dough on a well-floured or cornmeal dusted rimless tray or pizza peel.
- Top as desired! It's best to top just before sliding into the oven if using a pizza stone because the dough gets sticky quickly once moist toppings are added. Without a pizza stone, leave enough space for the pizzas to expand and bake directly on the pan.
No-Cook Chunky Tomato Sauce — make up to 4 days ahead. Refrigerate.
- In a medium bowl combine all sauce ingredients. Stir well and let stand half an hour or more. It should thicken slightly. Sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated up to four days.
Notes
Links to videos:
How to Slap ‘n Fold dough
How to Stretch ‘n Fold dough
Yeast Water Baking Demo for the Bakers Dozen San Francisco
YouTube by Jim Lahey shaping pizza dough for oven or wood fired oven.
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